Direct communication to you of a problem: e.g. “I am having a tough time….”

Your own subjective sense that you are providing more personal-type counseling than academic counseling and/or you feel burdened by the student’s problems or demands for help

How to Refer a Student to Counseling

Share with the student that you are concerned, give your observations and/or the student’s own report.

Inform the student that you think s/he could benefit from speaking to a counselor. Assure the student that the counselors work with students on all kinds of problems, and none is too big or too small for them to address.

Show the student where to find information about Counseling Services on the Daemen website, or hand them a brochure about Counseling Services.

If the student seems reluctant to contact a counselor on their own, offer to make the call right now from your office with the student present.

You may also offer to walk the student over to the counseling office (DS room 228). Please note, however, that not all of our counselors are available or on campus full time. It is recommended that you call the counselor first to inquire if the student may be seen right away.

An emergency involves any of the following:

What You Can Do

Stay calm

Get help. All threats of suicide or violence against someone else should be taken seriously. If the threat is immediate, call 911 without hesitation. If the threat is not immediate, consult immediately with a counselor, crisis services (a 24 hour helpline 716-834-3131), or residence life (if the student resides on campus).

If the student is angry and violent, or out of control, keep yourself safe and call 911 as well as campus security (ext. 8246).

If the student is calm, offer a quiet place for her/him to talk. Do not leave the person alone. Alert another staff member that an emergency may be unfolding so you are not left alone to deal with it by yourself.

Confidentiality

You are certainly free to ask the student to give you feedback regarding their following through with contacting a counselor. However, please be aware that without a signed consent, the counselors cannot divulge any information about a student’s contact with us, as we are legally and ethically bound by confidentiality.

Consultation

If you are unsure about whether or not to refer a student for counseling, or if you would find it helpful to discuss the behavior of a student that concerns you, please feel free to consult with any of the counselors.

Student Profiles

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“Without my advisors guiding the way, including Academic Advisors, and Co-Op Advisors, I would not have had the opportunity to apply my academic education to the real-world experience that I have gained through internships.”